Holiday Guide to Giving Back

Tis the season for charity. Whether it is for one day or every day, volunteering brings inner peace and perfoms immeasurable good for the community. Carroll Gardens Patch has compiled the following list of local and borough-wide volunteering organizations to suit all of your philanthropic needs.

Park Slope Christian Help (Chips)

200 Fourth Avenue, 718-237-2962

Chips is a community organization providing food, shelter, clothing and social service to people in need. Their soup kitchen provides meals Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm. Volunteers are needed to prepare and serve food, clean, supervise and fundraise. In addition, Chips accepts food and monetary donations. They are having a Christmas Party this Friday, December 23rd.

Brooklyn Public Library

10 Grand Army Plaza, (718) 230-2100

The Brooklyn Public Library offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities. Whether it is assisting staffers, guiding other patrons, teaching in an adult literacy program, or coaching people with their resumes, the library is bound to have a position that you find interesting. Volunteer opportunities are open to all, including teens and people with disabilities.

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative

145 Columbia Street, 718-522-0193

This organization is dedicated to creating the “Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway,” a 14 mile route for recreation and transportation running from Greenpoint, through Red Hook, and all the way to Sunset Park. They need volunteers to do data entry, event planning, and other tasks on a project-to-project basis.

Girls Incorporated of New York City

64 Beaver St. Suite 121, (212) 531-7620

The Brooklyn chapter of this nationwide organization uses experiential learning to teach young women about health and sexuality, self-defense, career planning, art, technology, and much more. They are currently seeking volunteer program assistants for their office at the The Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women. The position is a minimum of three hours a week and would involve communications, data entry, and general program support. Apply online at www.girlsincnyc.org

The Adult Education Program,

150 Court St, 718-643-8000

The Adult Education Program at the AAFSC empowers it's predominately female student body in their quest to become independent and knowledgeable participants in society as they transition to life in the United States. The education program teaches financial literacy, health literacy, family literacy, nutrition and fitness and job readiness.

Planned Parenthood

44 Court Street, 212-965-7000

With clinics all over the city, Planned Parenthood provide health education and services for men and women. Volunteers with Planned Parenthood can work in the clinic, in education programs, in the offices or by providing community outreach. Planned Parenthood Brooklyn is located on Court Street near Borough Hall.

826NYC

372 Fifth Avenue, 718-499-9884

826 NYC is a non-profit supporting creative and expository writing skills to children ages 6 - 18. Working in tandem with the Brooklyn Super Hero Supply Company, they offer free writing workshops at the writing lab on Fifth Avenue. 826NYC has volunteer opportunities both in the writing lab and the retail store which helps to fund the writing program. Fill out a volunteer application at the store or on their website.

Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens

191 Joralemon Street Phone: 718-722-6001

The Catholic Church organizes 180 social services programs in Brooklyn and Queens, so there is certain to be something that piques your interest. Options include Big Brothers Big Sisters, Meals on Wheels, teaching computer skills to seniors, mentoring teenagers, and more. They use VolunteerMatch.org to post and recruit. You can also find information regarding their one-day programs here: http://www.ccbq.org/news/community-events